Sister of murdered Lee Rigby said she had to help Manchester bombing victims in memory of her brother

WHEN Lee Rigby’s sister Courtney watched the horror of the Manchester Arena terror attack unfold on TV, she knew she had to help.

Brave Courtney was just 12 when her beloved Fusilier brother was brutally murdered outside his Woolwich barracks by Islamic extremists.

And now, just days after turning 16, she has told how she is helping bereaved youngsters scarred by the horrific bombing that claimed 22 innocent lives at the Ariana Grande concert two months ago this weekend.

In a touching show of compassion, she has reached out to the distraught sister of Olivia Campbell, 15, who died in the attack on May 22, to offer advice on how to conquer her grief.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday — in which she proudly launches her Siblings Stand Together campaign — Courtney said: “When the bomb at Manchester Arena went off, I spent the entire night watching the news, sobbing.

“It broke my heart all over again as it happened on the fourth anniversary of Lee’s death.

“But something in my heart knew I had something to offer, so I decided I could do something good in Lee’s memory.

“I went to Olivia’s home to meet her family and I chatted with Chelsea, her 18-year-old step-sister.

“I just told her to hold her head high, keep her chin up and try to be brave.

“I could see this family, in their grief, were exactly where we were four years earlier and it was heartbreaking.

I was watching a girl my age being buried

“No one should go through this. My vow is to help as many bereaved young people as possible.”

Olivia’s family have described Courtney as “an inspiration” and Chelsea has thanked her for her encouragement.

Courtney, who has been supported by boyfriend Harry Joyce, now has her heart set on studying psychology at Cambridge University.

Her Siblings Stand Together campaign is specifically aimed at giving comfort and hope to grieving youngsters in her age group.

On May 22 this year, Courtney, who lives with mum Lyn, 50, spent the day with her family celebrating Lee’s life four years after he was murdered by twisted IS fanatics Michael Adebolajo, 32, and Michael Adebowale, 25.

They visited his grave and released balloons with messages of love written on them.

Then they had a meal together and chatted about Lee — who would have been 30 this year — laughing and crying as they shared stories about his antics.

But just after 10pm, Courtney saw news of the arena bombing.

She said: “I didn’t want to tell Mum, to be honest.

“I knew it would break her all over again but I knew it was better coming from me.

“We were all devastated. This was in our home city and on the anniversary of Lee’s death. It hit us all very hard.

“It was so close to home and could so easily have been me.

“These were young people of my age group deliberately attacked at a pop concert.

“I had been to that arena many times where I watched JLS, One Direction and other bands, and my first thought was for the poor families whose lives were destroyed forever.

“I knew what they would be going through.

“Learning that a loved one has been killed in a terror attack is just so wrong.

“Innocent children had been targeted and it took me back to when Lee died.

“I felt very, very angry and helpless, which made me so determined to help.”

After the Manchester attack — committed by suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22 — Lyn and Olivia’s mum Charlotte, from Bury, struck up a friendship through their shared grief at the loss of a child.

It was then that Courtney befriended Olivia’s brother and sisters and attended her funeral.

Courtney said: “At Olivia’s funeral I was torn apart not only because it took me back to Lee’s funeral but because I was watching a girl of my age being buried.

“It also made me angry. None of us can bring them back but we can all help each other.

“I have had a lot of good things happen to me despite losing Lee.

“I have my whole life ahead and that future involves helping others above all else.”

Now Courtney, whose new campaign will form part of the Lee Rigby Foundation, wants to help young people affected by horrific crimes and to share her advice.

She said: “Siblings are often the forgotten relatives when someone dies. Teenagers face a lot of pressure at the best of times.

Growing up in the world and trying to make sense of things with pressures at school and exams, but also dealing with the burden of grieving a loved one through murder, is horrendous.

In so much pain I wanted to kill myself

“That’s why I know I can be there for young people who are suffering because they don’t have to explain how they feel to me because I have already been there.

“I want to make a promise that you can learn to live with it without lying that the pain ever goes away. I want people of my age to make the very best of their lives despite losing those closest to them.

“I want to be there for youngsters who feel as lost as I did and let them know that they are not on their own.

“That would make Lee proud and that makes me smile.

“I want to organise activities and let them be young and have fun at the same time as coming to terms with their grief.

“I was just 12 when Lee died and I had to do a lot of grieving by myself because there is no help out there for young people. I was so angry and distraught but my mum had lost her son and couldn’t help me because she was so broken at losing Lee so I did it all by myself.

“I isolated myself in my room and raged and smashed things. At times I was in so much pain I wanted to kill myself. No one understood what I was going through.

“The loneliness of that grief is horrific so now I want to offer some hope and comfort to people like me who are facing the worst times of their young lives.

“I had counselling to help me cope with my anger and hurt but I wish I’d had someone of my own age I could have turned to at the time.

“I would listen to my mum sobbing and felt like I had to be strong for her but inside I was raging with hurt and anger over what happened.

“I can’t take away those feelings from other young people who have lost loved ones but I can be there to listen and offer advice and comfort.

Lee’s with me in spirit in everything I do

“I also want to tell them it’s OK to be angry and to be devastated — that it’s normal after losing someone in such violent circumstances.

“It’s OK to grieve deeply over your brother or sister.

“I can be there to show them that while you never get over the loss of someone you love so much, you can still have a life of your own. My boyfriend Harry makes me very happy and he makes me laugh a lot, just like Lee did.

“He has helped me so much to ease the pain of losing Lee.

“It’s really important to me to help others because Lee has lost his life and that makes me want to make the very most of mine.

“Lee was kind and loving and was the first to offer help to others.

“If I can be half the person he was I will be happy with my life.”

Last month, Courtney, who is awaiting her GCSE results, had her last day at school ahead of doing A-levels at college.

She took boyfriend Harry to the school prom — but says that she wishes her older brother could have been there to see it.

She said: “I’m still so sad that Lee hasn’t been here to see the big milestones in my life, such as turning 16 and going to the prom.

“That was one of the best nights of my life — to get dressed up and feel a million dollars. I wish he had been there to see that. But he is still with me in spirit with everything I do and I know he would be happy for me.

“Lee was always my role model when he was alive and he still is today. He always helped people.
“I want to do what he would have done and make him proud.”